Question

What is the difference between a supply chain and supply chain management?

Answer 1

Answer:

A supply chain is the system put in place to move a good or service, from a provider, to the final customer.

Supply chain management is the process of managing the supply chain.

Five key issues in supply chain management:

• Upstream supply management: upstream supply refers to the acquisition of raw materials. Management has to find reliable upstream suppliers that offer a good balance between quality and price. For example, a paper-producing firm has to find a good timber and pulp company to operate.
• Downstream supply management: downstream supply refers to the movement of fininished goods and services, to the final customer. Many companies contract a third party to complete this process, and it is of the utmost importance because customer satisfaction largely depends on it. For example, Amazon contracts UPS to complete deliveries in a timely manner.
• Warehouse management: depending on the size of the business, inventory can be stored in a small room or in very large warehouses. Organizing inventory, and more important, deciding when to buy inventory, and when to dispose of it, are a key part of a business strategy. Amazon is known for its innovative warehouse management, which includes the use of hundreds of human employees and robots.
• Product development: if a firm is new in the market, it has to provide a product or service, and product development is the first stage, before the company can move on to supply chain management. Companies already in the market should also try to develop new products and services to stay competitive. Amazon again, is well known for product development, offering new goods and services each year.
• Outsourcing: sometimes it more efficient for a company to move production abroad. Studying the foreign market, and projecting future costs is crucial before deciding to outsource. Apple does not manufacture the iphone in the United States, instead, outsources this process to Asian countries were wages are lower.